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Home » Recipe Index » Spice, Seasoning, and Condiments

Published: Apr 18, 2019 · Modified: May 2, 2024 by Tanya · This post may contain affiliate links · 32 Comments

Homemade BBQ Seasoning

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This BBQ Seasoning is the perfect blend of spices for to create your favorite barbeque flavor. With only 7 ingredients, you can make your own spice mix and pour it on your favorite meat, veggies, and so much more.

bbq seasoning in a bowl, mixed, with a spoon in the middle

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

I’m no newbie when it comes to making spice mixtures from scratch. I like to have premade mixes on hand when I need to season something quickly and don’t feel like searching through the hundreds (ok, maybe not that many) spices I have in my cupboard.

This BBQ spice seasoning is a favorite of mine. It only has 7 ingredients and can be made ahead for times when you want a quick dry rub for meats, seasoning for vegetables, or even bbq flavored crispy chickpeas.

spices separated on a plate

What is in BBQ Spice Seasoning?

I’ve tried many homemade spice mixtures, some with a little ingredients and some with a whole lot. I found that this mix was simple and delicious. I use the following:

-smoked paprika

-brown sugar

-celery salt

-garlic powder

-dry mustard

-salt

-black pepper

The smoked paprika is a must in my opinion for that nice smoky flavor.

Celery salt is a common ingredient I use in marinades. I also use it for this sweet and sour dressing in this salad. 

Using BBQ Seasoning as a Rub for Meat?

I use dry rubs a ton when seasoning meat quickly for a weeknight. I like to coat my meats heavily with it, making sure it’s fully covered. Here’s a great list of tips for applying a dry rub to your meats.

bbq seasoning in a jar with bbq spice label

How long will a dry rub store?

There are so many factors that go into how long spices will last. This recipe makes a batch that will be good for about 2 recipe uses. I use about 2-3 Tbps each time. So for me, it doesn’t tend to get stored for longer than 2 months.

If you want to modify the recipe or double it, triple it, etc, change the serving size in my recipe card below and it will automatically adjust the amount of ingredients needed 🙂

I hope you enjoy this rub as much as we do.

This is great paired with our Homemade BBQ Sauce. Use both on chicken and pork, like these ribs.

Looking for other spice mixtures? Try these out:

Egyptian Dukkah Spice

Homemade Poultry Seasoning

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Pin BBQ Seasoning for Later

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bbq seasoning in bowl with spoon sticking into it
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4.71 from 37 votes

Homemade BBQ Seasoning

This homemade bbq seasoning is great for dry rubs, vegetables, or any other bbq flavored foods you love. 
Course spices
Cuisine American
Keyword bbq seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 5 minutes minutes
Servings 10
Calories 33kcal
Author Tanya
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Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions

  • Mix ingredients in a bowl. Enjoy 🙂

Notes

Double, triple, or quadruple the recipe if you like. Change the serving size in this recipe card to modify the ingredients.
Store in an airtight container for future uses.
Useful tools:
Spice jars with labels

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 2911mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1725IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.8mg
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Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

More Spice, Seasoning, and Condiments

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    Homemade Seasoned Salt Recipe
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    Big Mac Sauce (Homemade & Easy)
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    French Fry Seasoning (DIY Seasoning Blend)

Spread the Flavor and Share

Comments

    4.71 from 37 votes (29 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Lori says

    July 04, 2024 at 11:34 pm

    I tried this tonight on skin-on bone-in chicken thight cooked in the air fryer. It was delightful. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      July 05, 2024 at 6:51 am

      Thanks Lori! So happy you like the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  2. Beverly says

    March 26, 2024 at 2:43 pm

    Love your blog; I've found many great recipes. Question--we need to cut back on sodium in our household, so celery salt and regular salt is too much sodium for us. Should I just cut out regular salt in the rub mix, or sub something else for celery salt!! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      March 26, 2024 at 3:29 pm

      Hi Beverly, yes, I would try the recipe without the regular salt initially and see how you like it. The celery seed from the celery salt provides great flavor. This is a great seasoning mix to adjust the salt too, as it'll still have great flavor with less salt.

      Reply
  3. Jim Hochstrasser says

    December 22, 2023 at 6:12 pm

    I cannot find how much of each ingredient

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      December 24, 2023 at 6:23 am

      Hi Jim, Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

      Reply
  4. Carol says

    August 25, 2023 at 4:09 pm

    5 Stars!!!

    Reply
  5. Carol says

    August 25, 2023 at 4:08 pm

    I love this BBQ seasoning! I make it in a small jar and store it in my pantry so it is always ready. I double the recipe so I have plenty on hand. Thank you, Tanya!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      August 28, 2023 at 9:55 am

      Thank you, Carol! So happy you like it. Great idea to double the recipe too.

      Reply
  6. Bruce Hamilton says

    June 26, 2023 at 7:15 pm

    Good timing, start of grilling season, thanks Tanya...

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      June 27, 2023 at 7:49 am

      Thank you, Bruce! I hope you enjoy the seasoning.

      Reply
  7. Sherry says

    April 12, 2023 at 9:12 pm

    Thank you for sharing this spice mix it is perfect. I will be keeping this on hand.

    Reply
  8. Diane says

    September 16, 2021 at 12:02 pm

    I love this spice and so does my family. It tastes great, is easy and quick to make and it stores well.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      September 16, 2021 at 1:41 pm

      Thanks Diane! So glad you all like the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  9. Catherine says

    October 16, 2020 at 11:08 am

    I always make extra seasoning. It’s so delicious! I’ve only used it on the air fryer ribs so far. They come out perfect every time! Thank you for sharing. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      October 16, 2020 at 2:23 pm

      Thank you Catherine 🙂

      Reply
  10. Helene says

    October 04, 2020 at 11:53 am

    Hi there..Great blog...Your recipes are so appealing..also your rub looks amazing. What proportions do you use of each ingredient? I would love to try with my new air fryer.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      October 05, 2020 at 6:37 am

      Hi Helene, Thank you. There's a recipe card at the bottom of the post that lists the full ingredient list and amount of each ingredient.

      Reply
  11. Tan says

    July 04, 2020 at 5:55 pm

    I did not have celery salt so I used flakes and substituted garlic salt for the powder. Hopefully it doesn't change the outcome too much.

    Reply
  12. Kay says

    June 23, 2020 at 1:16 am

    I triple this and use it often. I use golden sugar substitute for the brown since I have diabetes. It delicious, thank you.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      June 23, 2020 at 10:33 am

      Thank you Kay! I agree, I've used it to much this summer lol. I always have to make a huge batch to keep on hand.

      Reply
  13. Angie says

    May 23, 2020 at 1:28 pm

    I love this dry rub! It has such a wonderful balance of flavors. I only have plain paprika (instead of smoked paprika) so I add a dash of New Mexico chile powder or cayenne or even red pepper flakes as a substitute. I have this one bookmarked and use it again and again. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      May 24, 2020 at 12:32 pm

      Thank you Angie! I love your modifications and substitutes.

      Reply
  14. Kathy says

    May 18, 2020 at 9:25 am

    I don’t have dry mustard, does it change the flavor much?

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      May 18, 2020 at 10:32 am

      Hi Kathy, it would, the mustard gives the rub a little bit of tang, an acidic component that balances will with the other spices.

      Reply
  15. Jessie says

    August 06, 2019 at 6:17 pm

    I like it. Nice and Spicy. I used stevia to replace brown sugar.

    Reply
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Welcome to My Forking Life! Hi, I'm Tanya, attorney, busy wife and mom, and lover of quick, easy, and delicious meals.

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